NiCE, a technology company specializing in customer relations management software, artificial intelligence, and digital and workforce engagement management, said July 28 that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Cognigy, a Dusseldorf-based global market leader in conversational and agentic AI. The deal is valued at about $950.9 million.
This strategic acquisition unites NiCE’s market-leading CXone Mpower platform with Cognigy’s leading conversational and agentic AI capabilities, enabling organizations to rapidly accelerate the adoption of AI-first customer service delivery, orchestrating AI agents across the front and back office in a unified CX AI platform powered by CX AI models.
“This is a landmark moment for NiCE, a strategic move that fast-tracks our AI innovation agenda and sets a new standard for customer experience in the AI era,” said Scott Russell, CEO of NiCE. “By bringing a market leader in enterprise-grade conversational and agentic AI into the fold, we are accelerating global AI adoption, expanding into new global markets, and creating game-changing value for our customers, partners, and shareholders. Together, we are significantly advancing the future of AI-first customer experience.”
Cognigy’s flagship platform, Cognigy.AI, enables enterprises to deploy AI agents that think, adapt, and act independently to deliver human-like service. Available in over 100 languages and on any channel, these agents deliver instant personalized service — freeing human agents to focus on complex, high-value interactions. Cognigy serves top-tier brands including Mercedes-Benz, Nestlé, and Lufthansa Group with demonstrated success, and is expected to deliver rapid 80% estimated ARR growth in 2026.
Philipp Heltewig, co-founder and CEO of Cognigy, added, “This transaction represents a pivotal step forward for Cognigy, one that brings immense opportunity for our customers and employees. NiCE is an exceptional organization whose global reach, deep expertise, and relentless focus on innovation will accelerate our growth and enhance the value we bring to our customers and partners. Together, we are uniquely positioned to shape the future of customer experience, uniting the best of trusted AI and human interactions.”
The transaction value includes an approximate $50 million time-bound holdback comprised of $25 million in cash and 158,000 American Depositary Shares. The transaction will be financed with funds on-hand and closing is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals, the timing of which is dependent on applicable regulatory authorities. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Jefferies LLC is acting as exclusive financial adviser to NiCE and Qatalyst Partners is acting as exclusive financial adviser to the sellers.
NiCE was founded in 1986 as Neptune Intelligence Computer Engineering (NICE) in Israel and began trading on NASDAQ in 1996. Shares of the company climbed $9.39, or 5.78%, to $171.81 in morning trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.
